The use of rodenticides in the control of rodents has become more and more popular over the past few years. With the introduction of "one feed" anti-coagulant rodenticides, pest control operators have been able to control active rodent infestations with a minimum use of poison however, the more "active" toxins represent a real and present danger to non-target species.
Many devices have been brought out to shield these rodenticides from contact with children and pets and are presented as "tamper-resistant" or tamper-proof in order to meet the criteria that have been established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
The deficiency in these devices are based upon the assumption that they are going to be used in urban and controlled environments, and none of the devices have been designed to accommodate the farmer or agricultural user in a manner that would allow his placement of poisoned bits among crops.
Of the past inventions that have received patents a number stand out as typical of the type of "tamper-resistant" device that have been designed to isolate toxins from the public. These are represented by U.S. Patents in Class 43/131 such as U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,349,981 9/1982 Sherman--4,031,653 6/1977 Jordan--4,161,079 7/1979 Hill--4,648,201 3/1987 Sherman--4,541,198 9/1985 Sherman--Foreign Patent Nos. 9917388 5/1968 Netherlands and 2111022 9/1972 Federal Republic of Germany.
While these devices provide excellent protection and isolation, they lack the ability to be realistically used in farm and agricultural situations.
The purpose of the instant invention is to provide farmers a method of dispersing baits among crops and livestock in a manner that is consistent with their normal farming operations.
Another object of the invention is to provide a method of isolating bait from non-target wildlife and to present the bait in a manner that will make it attractive to the target rodent population.
Still another object of the instant invent is to provide a weather proof container for the storage and presentation of the rodenticide.
And yet another feature of the invention is to provide a means of securing the bait station to the ground as an integral part of the construction of the baiter while allowing for ease of retrieval and replenishment of the bait as it becomes necessary.
And, the invention allows for the use of a highly visible method of spotting the bait stations when they have been placed among growing crops by the utilization of a novel signal device and highly visible color.
These and other feature of the instant invention will become obvious when viewed in connection with the following drawing and disclosures. The disclosures will teach a totally new method of bait placement and will open the use of rodenticide products to a formally ignored market.